Surprises! That's what I love about genealogy and family history. Whether it's meeting distant cousins in Slovenia and Michigan, locating a headstone or cemetery, adding another name on the family tree or hearing about favorite family recipes these are what I consider to be the true pieces to the genealogical puzzle. Discovering stories that bring "life" to my ancestors and then sharing these with my family will always be my purpose for continuing to search. This month, a mighty "thank you" to my Mom and her twin sister for sharing this memory!
My attempt at "soda crackers and coffee".
Although I wouldn't consider this a "recipe" as such, my Mom and Aunt recalled that their Grandfather, Anton Penne, frequently consumed "soda crackers and coffee" for breakfast, mixed together with a lot of sugar! Yep, he had a "giant coffee cup" where all ingredients were mingled together and then eaten with a spoon, slurping followed. Of course, I had to try it, with cream as well, and quickly gave it a thumbs up. As strange as this breakfast may sound, after online researching, it really isn't at all. Soakey, Coffee Sop, Coffee Soup was a staple during the Depression Era and Latinos have a long tradition of adding "galletas de soda" to their coffee or hot chocolate as well. During the American Civil War soldiers would soften their daily ration of hardtack (basically a cracker made from flour, water and salt) in their morning coffee. In fact, I have found a television commercial and a blog touting the delightful deliciousness of soakey!
Did Great Grandpa Penne's breakfast tradition originate in Slovenia or after he immigrated? Maybe during the Depression? I don't think anyone ever bothered to ask but this breakfast choice surely made a lasting impression on his grand daughters. I too remember sitting at the breakfast table with my grandparents, watching them add evaporated milk to their coffee while eating toast with strawberry jam scooped and spread on with a spoon. Childhood memories are like snapshots, small bits and pieces that don't seem to have a beginning or end and maybe the most focused snapshots occur first thing in the morning after a long night's rest and that's why they are so easily recalled even years later.